


Visions Yet to Come

by ilovewrighting



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Altean Lance (Voltron), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Bisexual Lance (Voltron), Black Paladin Allura (Voltron), F/F, F/M, Galra Keith (Voltron), Homesick Lance (Voltron), Keith (Voltron) is a Mess, Kuron is Shiro (Voltron)'s Clone, Lance (Voltron) is a Mess, Light Angst, M/M, Protective Shiro (Voltron), Red Paladin Keith (Voltron), allura actually listens to coran in this, so i guess that makes it canon divergent
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-13
Updated: 2018-06-06
Packaged: 2019-04-22 13:13:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,391
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14309418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ilovewrighting/pseuds/ilovewrighting
Summary: "Okay everyone. Since Shiro thinks he has been compromised in some way during his time in galra prison, we are going to be trying to find a new black paladin. Keith, we were hoping you would want to take the role again." Allura asked"No way. I'll come back to fly red, but I don't even know if she'll take me anymore after flying with this goofball." He said, jerking a thumb toward Lance."Hey! Red and I have a very special bond okay?" He said, folding his arms over his chest."Yeah, I don't really think it's any use for me to try either." Pidge said. "I could barely reach the controls last time,""Yeah agreed." Hunk said. "I mean... Not about not reaching the controls. I could reach them. I just don't think I should try to pilot it again. Yellow and I are very happy together.".Shiro decides he can no longer pilot the black lion, so the team needs to come up with a new black paladin.





	1. The Story of the Black Paladin

Shiro knocked on the door to Allura’s chambers nervously. He heard Lance’s voice in his head, telling him everything would be okay. He was still unbearably nervous to be approaching Allura with this problem.

“Shiro,” Allura said when she opened the door. “What can I do for you at this hour?”

“We need to talk,” Shiro said, anxiously. “Can we sit?” He asked. 

“Please, come in,” Allura invited Shiro into her room, gesturing for the couch. 

“I think you need to take me out of the black lion. I think I’m compromised. They’re always one step ahead of us and we can never figure out why. I’m the only one who’s spent significant time in galra prison. There’s got to be something connecting me to Zarkon through the black lion.” He said, trying to power through.

“Are you sure, Shiro? I don’t think it’s entirely because of you that they are managing to be one step ahead. You are a strong leader, and we need you.” Allura said, surprised with this development.

“Yeah but I’m not the same as I was.” Shiro said, honestly. “I yell at them now, when I used to be a fair and just leader. I’m not who I was when the black lion chose me.” he shook his head and sighed.

Allura paused for a long time. “If this is what you want…” She sighed. “Okay. We can find a new paladin.” 

“Thank you Allura,” Shiro said, feeling a weight off of his shoulders.

.

"Coran... will you tell me something about my father?" Allura asked, softly a little while later. She had gone to his chambers to ask for advice. "So much has happened... I'm not sure I know what he would want me to do." She said, wringing her hands together. 

"Of course, anything, Princess." Coran said, twirling his moustache, distractedly. 

"Why did my father choose Zarkon for the black lion? The more Shiro flew, I feel as though the more ruthless, more bitter he became. How do I know the same will not happen with the others?" She asked, but continued talking. "I chose him because I thought he would be a just, fair leader. I do not wish to allow the power of the black lion to corrupt him or the others the way that power might have led to Zarkon's corruption. "

Coran sighed, long and slow. "Let me tell you a story from long before you were born, my Princess. I think it's time."

.

"King Alfor!" Coran shouted, thousands of years younger in an instant. "Zarkon and the rest of your team have arrived. This is going to be your final mission before you reveal the lions to them?" Coran wondered out loud, as he helped the altean king to prepare for battle. 

"Yes, Coran, it's going to be the most important mission, as well, because I will be finalizing my decisions about the paladins." Alfor said, allowing Coran to help him into his battle armour. 

"I assume you will pilot the head," Coran said conversationally, "have you given much thought to the others?"

Alfor looked pensive. "I feel as though it can go one of a number of ways. Am I the first one you think of for the black lion because I'm your king? Or because you think I would be the best leader?" Alfor said, looking at Coran intently. 

Coran's head cocked to the side. "Because you created them...?" He said without much hesitation and with slight confusion. 

"Ah, gentle Coran. Thank you," he said, seeming to dismiss the response. 

"King Alfor, I do not mean that as any disrespect to your abilities. I mean to say you know the most about the lions, you know their inner workings, the way the bond with their paladins, as well as being intelligent and compassionate enough to be not only a strong leader but also a wise leader." 

"Just because I am a strong king of a mostly peaceful planet does not mean that I am a wise leader." Alfor countered, pulling away from Coran to finish strapping his armour himself. 

"On the contrary, my King, the rest of your team learns from you, each takes a piece from you, but I believe you are the truest black paladin because you are bound to have the strongest connection with the lions. Aside from that, the team looks up to you. They would follow you, unquestioning into any battle. Another of your team? I'm not so sure the rest would all follow," Coran said, feeling more assured to tell Alfor what he really thought. 

In those days Coran piloted the castle as well. During the mission he received a message saying that the planet they were trying to liberate looked like a ghost town. 

"Are you sure we had accurate insight Coran? This doesn't seem to be right..." he gasped then. 

"What is it?" Coran asked when Alfor did not respond. Radio communications cut out then, and coran tried his best to repair the connection. 

*

"Was it a trap?" Allura asked, eyes wide with curiosity 

"I didn't know at the time what was happening. Couldn't restore radio communication until much later.” Coran’s eyes had taken on a faraway look. “When they returned they were all beat up and dirty. It had been a set up, by an old friend of your father's. Back before I was the advisor your father had another close friend. He was another altean chemist who did brilliant work like king Alfor." Coran paused there. He stood and walked to the front of the flight deck, looking out at the massive cosmos. 

"And this old friend of my father’s had turned on them?" Allura asked, wondering why her father had never told her such a story.

*

"King Alfor! What happened?" Coran begged, allowing the king to sit as he tended to his wounds and other alteans catered to the wounds of the rest of the team. 

Zarkon was the only one who had escaped unscathed from the fight apparently. 

"Alfor's old chemist buddy was there waiting for us. Alfor has become weak with affection in his old age." Zarkon said, pacing the flight deck rudely. "He froze in the face of a known traitor. I had to finish him off before he killed any of our team." 

He made it sound like the only choice, the only right way things could have gone. Alfor would not meet Coran’s eyes and he wondered why Alfor had allowed Zarkon to act with such haste, without consulting the team for what the best option was. 

“Were you going to try to take him alive, King Alfor?” Coran asked, ignoring Zarkon.

“That was not a wise option. He was a dangerous prisoner and to bring him back to this planet within any single lion was too risky.” Zarkon insisted.

“I don’t remember asking you, Zarkon,” Coran murmured.

“That’s enough,” Alfor said, his first and last words on the matter.

When the rest of the paladins had returned to their cabins for rest and recooperation, Coran and Alfor stayed up talking about the mission. 

"Its true." Alfor said slowly. "I froze when I should have killed him." He swished a small tumbler of nunvil and took a tiny sip. 

"Better to act with certainty than give into rash decisions." Coran said sternly, unsure why Alfor was in such admiration of Zarkon’s act of violence.

"But the black paladin must be strong. He must be willing to make the toughest choices. He must be ready to fight and kill and die all at once. I'm not sure I am he." He said quietly, whispering the last sentence. 

"Alfor..." Coran said slowly. "You can't be seriously considering Zarkon for the black lion." 

"I think he's the right choice, Coran. My mind is made up."

Coran sighed and shook his head. "A good man always thinks there are better men. When will you see that none are as honest or as wise as you?" Coran got up and left the flight deck, but it made no difference in the decisions of King Alfor.

*

"That's why my father chose Zarkon? Because he didn't hesitate to kill an old enemy?" Allura looked out at the universe, Coran standing close beside her. 

He nodded gently. "You told me that your father's hologram told you that he regretted not listening to you, not using the lions to fight for good instead of scattering them and hiding. Is that correct princess?" Coran asked

Allura nodded, the memory of his words sharp in her mind. 

"I truly think if he were still here he'd be telling you this was his second biggest mistake. Not believing that he possessed the power to pilot the black lion. He was wise as you are. You take after his emotional side you know that don't you?" Coran said, tears making his eyes shine in the dim light. 

"I think if he were here he would be so proud, Allura. But he'd also tell you to believe in yourself." He said, brushing hair from her face. "You are the true leader of voltron," Coran whispered. 

"Me?" Allura questioned. "But who will pilot blue? Lance is piloting red. I thought maybe we could convince Keith to come back," she said, dodging Coran’s heart felt attempt. 

"Keith hated piloting the black lion!" Coran said, laughing a little and wiping away a stray tear. "I mean you should do your little tryouts tomorrow if you want. You never know. Maybe Lance has it in him, or one of the others. The lions can choose anyone. But at least give piloting the black lion another shot when you let everyone else try. Got it?" He said, coming to that compromise. 

"Okay," Allura said slowly, unsure of what was about to follow. "We'll do tryouts tomorrow."


	2. Visions of a New Paladin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Black Paladin tryouts surprise everyone, but mostly Allura.

The next day everyone gathered in the flight deck, even Keith.

"Okay everyone. Since Shiro thinks he has been compromised in some way during his time in galra prison, we are going to be trying to find a new black paladin. Keith, we were hoping you would want to take the role again." Allura asked

"No way. It's way too much responsibility for me to be the black paladin. I'll come back if I get to fly red again but I don't even know if she'll take me anymore after flying with this goofball." He said, jerking a thumb toward Lance.

"Hey! Red and I have a very special bond okay? I picked up the pieces when you left her for black. So there." He said, folding his arms over his chest.

"Yeah, I don't really think it's any use for me to try either." Pidge said. "I could barely reach the controls last time,"

"Yeah agreed." Hunk said. "I mean... Not about not reaching the controls. I could reach them. I just don't think I should try to pilot it again. Yellow and I are very happy together." Hunk said getting starry eyed thinking about his lion.

Shiro turned to Matt, "I have some foggy memories from the Kerberos mission. But I knew you were a skilled pilot and fighter even back then." Shiro looked to Allura suggestively.

"Would you like to try, Matt?" Allura asked gently.

He shifted a little, awkwardly, and then nodded. "I'll try," he approached the black lion as the others watched on. Black moved a bit, cocking its head and almost sniffing Matt in one motion. Matt outstretched his hand, hoping to touch the nose of the lion as a sign of companionship.

The great black lion brought his head back up to his normal resting position. It did not open it's great mouth for Matt and he shrugged as he turned around, returning to the team.

"Worth a shot I guess," he said brightly. "I don't mind staying on the castle for extra eyes and ears. Coran's always great to watch pilot the castle." Matt laughed a little as Coran blushed.

"Yeah! Coran is awesome!" Lance chimed in, making finger-guns and saying pew-pew-pew. Coran rolled his eyes but still blushed and secretly loved the affection.

"And you haven't even seen him pilot while you're on a mission." Matt laughed bobbing his eyebrows

"Alright, Lance you're up," Allura said, clapping her hands together.

"All right just call me Mr. Black lion, get ready," Lance said, sauntering up to the black lion.

The lion had returned to it's sitting position when Matt was not deemed to have the connection. As Lance approached, the black lion moved it's head down, opening it's mouth immediately to Lance.

A wave of relief washed over Allura.

"Whaaaaat!" Pidge shouted, jumping up and down

"Yeah, go Lance!!" Hunk yelled.

Shiro and Keith laughed. "Well who would have thought?" Keith whispered more to himself than to Shiro.

As Lance entered the lion, he was surprised that nothing was glowing. "Hey girl..." He whispered to the lion, allowing his fingertips to trace the walls of the flight deck, almost caressing them before he sat in the chair.

"Did you... want to turn on?" He wondered in his head to the great lion.

Then, the black lion was in his mind, showing him flashed of memories or stories from Altea, flashes of Allura and Coran looking younger, flashes of himself in Coran's place at the command center of the castle.

*

"Why do you think he's taking so long to get her to fly?" Pidge asked after they had been waiting for what felt like a long while.

"Maybe he's negotiating with her." Hunk said. "Maybe she has a no farting in the pilot's seat rule. I bet Lance is gonna have a problem with that one,"

Pidge laughed and the others sighed.

Keith's head snapped up, then "Look! he's coming out,"

Lance appeared through the dark mouth of the black lion, his boots clanking on the metal as he descended back to the floor of the hanger.

"What's on his.....?" Shiro started, as Lance got closer.

"No, it can't be..." Allura said, looking confused. The ball in the pit of her stomach was back. She thought Lance was going to be the new black paladin but now she was the only one left to fly it. And now this wild twist of imagination, leaving more questions than answers?

Coran and Pidge had their mouths open in shock, surprise and extreme excitement.

"Lance!!!" Pidge shouted, pointing at his face.

Keith walked slowly forward as Lance approached

"She showed me some weird visions..." Lance said, "but she wouldn't let me fly..." He said, dejectedly.

Keith was standing in front of him now, the others silent with shock. He raised a shaking hand to Lance's face.

"Dude, what are you...?" Lance started.

Keith touched Lance's face, delicately skimming the other boy's cheek bone. "They're altean markings, Lance." Keith whispered, unable to resist brushing his thumb over the glowing skin.

Lance jumped and slapped Keith's hand away. "They're what???" Lance touched his face all over with his hands, smushing the skin this way and that, running back to the black lion to look at his reflection in the black material, staring blankly for a moment before rushing back and pulling Keith into a hug. Shiro approached, clapping Lance on the back.

Pidge, Coran and Hunk were all jumping up and down chanting "Lance is altean!!! Lance is altean!!" Lance didn’t bother to hide his tears this time, he was so surprised and excited as to what this might mean.

Allura had her fingers pressed tightly against her temples. "Quiet please," She begged, her head throbbing with questions. "This is great news. However, we must listen to what Lance has to tell us about the visions. And then we must finish our search for a black paladin." She said, feeling a strong pull now that Lance had exited the lion.

Everyone gathered again and calmed down. Lance described his visions and Allura paced around the lion hanger, looking distracted.

"You were seeing younger versions of us?" Allura repeated, looking at Coran expectantly for help and guidance.

"Yeah. Stuff from the past, where you guys looked different, but I just sort of knew that it was from when you were back on Altea.” Lance explained, searching for the right words.

“And then there were visions I couldn't place. The black lion made me feel almost like... like they were the future. I saw myself, standing at Coran’s command center, where he always is on the flight deck. The paladins came up on the screen and Allura was in black, Keith in red, and Coran in blue. Pidge and Hunk were still in their lions.” Lance shook his head. “But I was on the castle and Coran and Allura were both part of voltron.... is that even possible?" Lance asked, finally looking to Coran and Allura for their reactions.

Allura had her hand over her mouth as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing. Couldn't believe what was going to come out of her mouth next.

Coran had looked skeptical at the beginning of Lance's speech, but now looked ecstatic.

"Coran is gonna pilot a lion?!" Pidge yelled, and lunged at the royal adviser, almost knocking him over with the hug.

“Thank you Pidge, I suppose we will have to see. But I’d love to pilot if blue will take me.” Coran twisted his moustache proudly. “I’m more excited that it seems the lions here would like Lance to learn to pilot the castle.” Coran edged up to Lance, inspecting his newly found Altean markings. “I’ll be delighted to be the one to teach you, Lance.”

Lance hugged Coran just as Pidge had. It seemed as though maybe things were falling into place for team Voltron.

Coran looked pointedly at Lance, and coughed, looking to Allura. “Allura!” Lance said, realizing what Coran meant. “This means you are going to be the next black paladin. You should try to fly her.”

“I agree, Princess,” Coran chimed in, and almost immediately so did the others. With the encouragement, Allura smiled, her cheeks becoming rosy with embarrassment.

“Are you all sure? I fear I have almost the least experience with the lions. And now we must teach Lance to pilot the castle. You all want me to become the black paladin?” she asked, finally voicing her true concerns

Pidge stepped up. “Allura, you have arguably the most experience with the lions. You are the daughter of their creator, and also a powerful altean alchemist. We all have our differences, but you’re the heart of voltron, Allura. You saw each of the lions in us when we could barely see ourselves in them. You pushed us to finally form voltron and work as a team. It’s only right you lead us from here.”

“You should at least try to pilot her before you start talking about not being a worthy leader,” Keith said, the rational one, for once.

The others chimed in their agreement.

Allura softened then, seeing that her paladins really were serious about following her. As long as the others would accept her as their leader, maybe she could do it. Maybe she could really lead Voltron.

As she made this realization, she took a step towards the black lion. Almost instantly it began to glow, and to make her altean marks glow, just as Lance’s had been moments before. His had stopped glowing but the marks were still clearly there.

Allura allowed herself to feel the excitement and the connection then, moving with purpose toward the lion. Almost synchronized, the lion bent her head and opened her mouth to allow the princess to pilot her.

The paladins and the rest of the team cheered as Allura took flight within the lion! The black lion had accepted Allura as a black paladin. The team was almost complete once more, even with Shiro out of the line up.

The black lion whizzed out of the hanger and the rest of the team laughed, none of them surprised that the black lion opened herself up to Allura.

Lance still touched his cheek bones where he knew these newfound markings to be. “Coran?” He asked, when everyone had calmed down and taken a seat to relax while they waited for Allura to return.

“Lance! I’m sure you have a million questions,” Coran said, clapping him on the shoulder.

He nodded at the wise Altean man. “How can this be possible?” he whispered, unsure of what to think. How could he be related to the Alteans? Did he secretly have alien family out there somewhere?

Coran shook Lance’s shoulder a bit. “Our altean magic can be preserved for centuries. Look at Allura and myself. We were asleep for thousands of years, and we popped out fresh as new. Anything is possible. Altean magic also loves a pure soul,” Coran winked. “So if you’re wondering something like why you... “ He trailed off, rubbing his moustache again. “It’s just as simple as why blue opened herself right up to you. You have an open heart and even the lions can see it.” Coran smiled at Lance

“It just seems like a big responsibility,” Lance said, looking out at the other paladins “I never really try to have an open heart it’s just the way I am… and I don’t really think that I have a pure soul…” He said, rolling his eyes a bit then, still absently rubbing one side of his face, “but I’m going to try my best and that’s all that really counts I guess. You have a lot to show me, Coran, and I have a lot to learn,” Lance concluded, and glanced up at the aging royal advisor

“You remind me so much…” Coran started, and trailed off, turning away from Lance to wipe away a tear. “You remind me very much of King Alfor when we were quite young, before he was King, when we were just little boys running around this very castle as my grandfather worked on it.”

Lance’s eyes lit up at being compared to a King. “Really? Thank you Coran.”

Coran shook his head, still disbelieving, “I’m going to enjoy teaching you our ways very much. I never thought I’d have an opportunity… or the right pupil,” he said, smiling now at Lance

He sighed deeply. “I suppose it doesn’t really matter how, or why, does it? It just matters that it’s true.” his tone changed again, then, ready to be excited about this newfound discovery again.  
“You’re really gonna teach me how to pilot the castle?” Lance asked, his eyes lighting up with enchantment.

Coran laughed a long belly laugh. “Yes, I am definitely going to have way too much fun teaching you to pilot the castle.”


	3. Test Drive

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance tries to pilot the castle.

When Allura returned from piloting the black lion, she was like a new woman. It was as though the temperament of the black paladin suited her, like she was born for it.

She announced that they would be taking the rest of the evening off, to feast and celebrate the successes of the day. The next day, she and Coran would begin Lance’s altean education, and begin training him to pilot the castle while Shiro took the rest of the paladins to do an appearance with the lions on a nearby, recently liberated planet, possibly with Lotor, who she had to check in with before she could join them for the feast. 

“Are you going to tell him about what happened?” Lance asked, as she told the others she needed to file a report for the day and check in about tomorrow.

Coran stiffened, bracing himself for the answer. The others stared in quiet, awkward silence.

Allura took a long time to respond, thinking about the options. “I don’t think it’s relevant information yet. No, I won’t mention it to him. Although…” Allura looked from Lance to Coran, clear to hear that she was answering to both of them. “Those marks will be quite difficult to hide should we all be called in at some point. Better we are not thought of as untruthful. But I will try my best to defer to you. I will not tell him tonight and you can let me know when you think it best for me to alert him.”

Lance nodded, understanding the depth of what she meant. “Fair. Thanks, Allura.” 

That evening they ate, talked, drank, and it seemed as though the team was all coming together as just that - a team. 

Shiro seemed to be relieved that he was out of the black paladin, and excited to see the changes overcoming princess allura as she learns the ways of the black lion.

They all sat at the table where Coran and Allura handcuffed them together, so early on in their time together. They laughed, about the hilarious ways things used to be, told Matt infinite numbers of stories about Pidge taking lead and figuring things out for the team. 

Allura actually seemed relaxed as well, for the first time since she had struck her accord with Lotor. 

The next day Coran and Lance filed into the flight deck. 

“Ready to become an altean pilot Lance??” Coran asked excitedly. 

Lance blushed making his new marks stand out even more. “I'm a little nervous…” he said honestly. 

“Ah, never mind that!” Coran said, slapping him on the back. “Allura will be on call should we need any assistance but I have full faith in you Lance! I'm sure you'll pick up flying as fast as you picked up piloting the lions.” 

“I appreciate that Coran,” Lance chuckled “But I have a sneaking suspicion that the whole castle is gonna be slightly more complicated than the lions.”

“Just keep up your humble but excited attitude and we should be in business, my boy!” Coran said

“Alright now Lance, come up to the control panel. Try to feel the power, feel the connection with the castle. Pay attention to the altean blood coursing through your veins. Do you feel it Lance?” 

Lance was squinting his eyes shut “I think the only thing I'm feeling is anxiety…” he responded “am I doing it wrong?” 

“No wrong way to build a connection with the castle, Lance. It has to learn who you are just like the lions did. It has to trust you.”

The older man twirled his moustache as Lance refocused. “Just the way the castle learned to trust me, and learn to trust princess Allura, it will learn to trust you too,”

Lance thought about all of his memories since he left the garrison. He thought about finding blue, learning to form voltron, becoming family with his team after all this time. 

His head tweaked a little. Family. He missed his family so much. Thinking about Coran and Allura missing king Alfor just makes the wound fresh again. 

Lance imagines his mother and father. He pictures his brothers and sister, all seated around the table with a homecooked feast set out for them. 

“It’s glowing, Lance!” Coran exclaimed, pulling Lance from his memories. His eyes snapped open and saw the command screen, open in front of him. 

The display blinked a few times, and flickered out again. “Aw man.” Lance said dejectedly. 

“You were doing great Lance!” Coran said, “Don't get discouraged. The castle is very particular about her bonds. She probably just needs more! Try to bring the display up again.”

Lance closes his eyes, taking some deep breaths. He pictures himself laughing, playing with his brothers. 

“Very good, Lance!” Coran shouted. “Now try to put up our shields.” He suggested. 

Lance was imagining eating breakfast together, goofing around together. He could feel the castle defenses coming up, but it was going slowly and he was running out of happy memories. 

Flashes of saying goodbye for the garrison flooded his vision. Saying goodbye to his family and not knowing he would be leaving for space. 

The defenses dropped back down to 0%.

“What's happened?” Coran asked. “You almost had them up! I'm impressed!”

Lance opened his watering eyes. “I can only get it to fly by thinking about my family. I miss them so much, Coran.” Lance suddenly felt the weight of the surprise of being altean, how much it made him want to see his mom and dad, his siblings again. 

Coran pulled Lance into a hug. “It’s hard to move on when we've lost people, but they must be so proud of you,” 

Lance wiped a stray tear away and pulled out of Coran's hug, feeling childish all of a sudden. 

“You must draw strength from them. Knowing they're proud of you, safe back on Earth, while we defend the stars.” Coran tried to motivate Lance. He looked faraway again, as he seemed to do all too much these days. 

“Let's try again.” Lance said.

Coran smiled at him. “You're going to be zooming through wormholes in no time!” they approached the command center again and Coran clapped Lance on the back. “Either way I'm proud of you for trying.” 

Lance smiled up at his mentor. “Thanks Coran, that means a lot.”

This time Lance shut his eyes concentrated on how much the Voltron team had become his new family. He thought about the visions the black lion gave him yesterday, he envisioned himself piloting the castle as well as the others. He tried to bring the defenses up again and this time they came up steadily. 

“Yes!” Coran celebrated, but Lance was in the zone. He was locked into the castle now, envisioning himself calling shots out to the team, as they fly the lions. This was his destiny now, linked forever to the team, and to the lions, by the bonds of fate. This was a part of him, just like his family would always be a part of him, whether he could sit and eat dinner with his whole family or not.

“Can I try a wormhole?” Lance asked, looking to Coran for guidance.

Coran nodded. “Just a small one. Just try to conjure it, don’t take us through it. Okay?” He asked, for clarification.

“Okay,” Lance said, taking direction this time and trying to stay focused.

As Coran showed him some controls on the panel, the two were delighted to see a bright aqua circle appear in front of their very eyes. As Lance closed the wormhole again, the two alteans celebrated, excited that they had a new pilot on board. 

.

Later Lance was sitting in his room, writing letters to his brothers and sister. He missed them so much and wanted to keep them updated about what was happening in his life. 

Someone knocked on his door. “Come in,” he said distractedly. 

“Hey…” Keith said quietly, peeking his head in “You have a minute?” he asked

“Sure. Come in, hang out a bit. Glad to have you back on the castle finally.” Lance said, putting away his letter and focusing his attention on Keith. 

“Thanks,” Keith said, giving a genuine smile and sitting on Lance’s bed. “It’s good to be back, honestly,” 

Lance beamed. “Now how cool is that we’re both part alien?” He asked

Keith laughed. “I think it’s cooler that you’re altean than it is that my mom is galra.” 

“Pshh, no. We found out about you first! Now it just looks like I’m copying because it’s the cool thing to do,” Lance chided, bobbing his eyebrows. 

Keith rolled his eyes, but when his gaze returned to Lance, it felt sad. “Hey, you okay?” Lance asked, coming to sit next to Keith on his bed.

“Can we talk about Shiro?” Keith asked

Lance nodded. 

“He’s very… different.” Keith said. “I’m not sure he’s the same person we thought he was.” 

“I know. It’s tough to accept that we have a new Shiro. But you have to accept him for what he is, because he’s who we have. I’m proud of him for taking himself out of the black lion. It took a lot of guts. Plus, he’s going to be way more useful for strategy here on the castle.”

“He’s just…” Keith started, slowly. “A little mean…” 

Lance sighed. “I know it’s tough not to take what he says to heart. We always wanted Shiro to be proud of us. I get it,” He said

Keith nodded. “Just feels… sort of hollow.” 

“I forget we probably have more thick skin than you do by now, we've been hanging with him all the time lately.” Lance said sadly. “but from our conversations he can't really control it, but he's planning on seriously trying to.” Lance was no stranger to Shiro’s rage and it had hurt his feelings many times before. 

“I know, I'm sure I'll get over it,” Keith said, feeling a little dainty. He figured Lance would want to complain with him. 

“But hey, we have a big day tomorrow. You're gonna be back in red. Coran is going to be trying to fly blue. And I'll be in the castle.” He smiled brightly at the other boy. 

Keith gave a half hearted smile back. “Yeah I guess.” he said

Lance put his hand on Keith's knee comfortingly. “I know it's tough but we're gonna get through it together. If our real Shiro is out there somewhere this is our best shot to get him back.”

Keith smiled at Lance now. “You're really good at this whole leader thing you know that?” he said, covering Lance's hand with his own. 

“Thanks. Means a lot Keith.” Lance said seriously. 

Keith's eyes darted down again to Lance’s new altean marks. 

“Wanna touch them again?” Lance asked conspiratorially. 

Keith blushed. “Sure,” he said, leaning into the other boy. He watched Lance close his eyes slowly and brought his hand to come skim the boy's cheek bones. 

Lance relaxed visibly. 

“They're beautiful…” Keith whispered. 

Lance opened his eyes again lazily and looked longingly at the other boy. He was guilty about how good it felt when Keith touched his face. 

“Can I kiss you?” Lance whispered without thinking. 

Keith smiled brightly, bring his face slowly closer to Lance’s. “Please.” He murmured, sliding his hand from the other boys cheek bones to twist his fingers in his hair, pressing their lips together.


	4. Coran, the Confident Man

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Coran gets to try his luck piloting Blue and the team get an unexpected visitor.

The next day came bright and early. 

“Shit,” Keith jerked up, realizing he had fallen asleep in Lance’s bed after they kissed the night before. 

Lance was still cozied up next to Keith sleeping peacefully. He looked so calm, not at all the hardened Lance they all had the pleasure of spending time with during the day.

It took all of Keith's energy and will power to pull himself out of bed. The main fuel was the idea of how Pidge and Hunk would chide them if he was caught sleeping over in Lance’s room.

Lance stirred. “See you later?” He asked, sleepily, barely squeezing his eyes open. Keith smiled.

“See you later, Lance,” he whispered as he tiptoed out the door.

.

They all gathered later in the flight deck. “Coran, are you ready?” Allura asked. She was looking incredibly nervous meanwhile Coran looked cool and collected. 

“Ready as I'll ever be, princess.” he answered, winking at Pidge and she giggled. 

As Coran approached the blue lion he was met with stoic silence. 

“Don't be too nervous.” Lance suggested, feeling a little bit of confidence after his success flying the castle. 

“Oh no, pshh me? Nervous? I'm Coran, Coran the confident man!” he said, sounding a little high pitched. 

“You sure?” Lance asked, feeling the effort to disguise his anxiety. “Maybe we should do a few more practice runs in the training floor.”

“No I’m ready to try! Just gotta get nice and limber.” Coran stretched his arms way over his head, bent over, tried to touch his toes and popped back up, unsuccessful. 

“You look awesome in your paladin uniform,” Pidge chirped, grinning at Coran. Matt was mostly hanging back and observing.

“You really think so?” He asked, looking down at his uniform, admiring the deep, royal purple they had chosen. 

“You definitely look ready to pilot a lion, Coran,” Shiro said, offering a small smile.

“Thanks,” Coran beamed, then became serious again. “Right, then.” He said, and strolled pointedly toward the blue lion.

In a surprisingly fluid motion, the lion leaned forward and scooped Coran up. “Woah!” Coran yelped and squirmed around as the blue lion picked him up in his great big paw. “Gently! Gently!” He shouted, and the other paladins laughed.

The blue lion tipped her head back, and dropped Coran feet first into the mouth of the great ship, quite gracefully. The other paladins cheered and called out to Coran on their headsets. 

“Come in, Coran?” Allura said

“How’s it feeeeel buddy?” Lance droned and the others rolled their eyes

“Right, good, just a little queasy from the fall, but I’m just about set,” Coran radioed back. “You should all head to your lions so we can meet up outside and try to form voltron!” 

They were in deep space so the others went to their lions and hovered outside of the castle. Shiro stood with Lance and Matt on the flight deck and watched one by one as Allura, Pidge, Hunk and Keith showed up on the screen.

“Where’s Coran?” Lance began to wonder to Shiro. Matt shrugged his shoulders and went to sit at the back of the flight deck.

“Here I am! Sorry!” Coran appeared in a flash and Lance and Shiro laughed. “Took a little time adjusting the seat.” 

“Nice, Coran,” Pidge said, sarcastically, chiding him a little.

“It’s a little like flying the castle…” Coran said, sounding like he was trying to convince himself.

“The lions are way easier than the castle,” Lance said to him over the radio. “Just relax and let Blue do the work,” He advised.

“Right, relax,” They heard Coran mutter

“Let’s try some simple training formations before we try to form Voltron. How about it, Coran?” Allura called from the black lion.

“Alright, Princess,” Coran responded, and they flew in formation.

“Sounds good.” Lance said, calling up some training protocols on the monitor.

“How did you know how to do that?” Shiro asked, looking over Lance’s shoulder.

He froze and turned to Shiro. “I don’t know,” Lance shrugged and turned back to the controls, radioing in. “I’m gonna send out a little cruiser, Coran, try to use your ice laser on it.” 

“Roger that, Lance!” Coran called over. 

The cruiser came up on a little side screen, like a video game control. “You wanna fly it, Shiro?” Lance asked, bobbing his eyebrows. 

Shiro grinned and jumped at the chance. He took the controls and swooped in past the Keith, Pidge, Allura, Hunk all the way to the Blue lion. Coran tried to fire the ice canon and Shiro jerked the little cruiser out of the way.

It hurtled past him and hit Hunk, icing over the Yellow lion’s right paw. “Hey!” Hunk shouted, “Watch it with that thing!” 

“Sorry, Hunk!” Coran yelled. “Just my first shot,” 

“Try again, Coran, this time really channel in and watch how the cruiser’s moving,” Lance instructed

“Yes, and stay relaxed, Coran,” Allura called from the black lion, “You’re doing great,” 

.

After a while Coran had just about mastered the weapons but they were struggling to form Voltron. 

“You guys have to feel the power and work together. There has to be trust to form Voltron.” Lance was saying from the command center. 

“Yeah, we're working on it Lance.” Keith snapped 

“Lance is just trying to help, Keith.” Allura warned. 

“No, no, if having me as a common enemy will help, by all means. Shiro?” Lance offered the mic “You got anything to add?”

Shiro was smirking at Lance as the paladins squabbled about whose fault it was that they couldn't form Voltron yet. “I think you just about covered it.” He said, looking amused. 

“I'm getting hungry, can't we take a break?” Hunk whined. 

“You guys are almost there, I can feel it,” Lance argued. “Let's just try one more thing.” 

“Fine, what now?” Coran asked, sounding dejected even over the radio

“I said you guys need a common enemy. Matt’s still here, so I’m gonna set both him and Shiro up with cruisers. Guys? Get ready,” Lance radioed back, calling the other guys up to the command center. Controls lit up on either side of Lance and Shiro and Matt stepped up to the Altean. 

The two cruisers zoomed between the lions, shooting practice rounds at the lions. Hunk shifted to avoid them and accidentally knocked the Yellow lion into the Green lion.

“Hunk! Watch where you’re going.” Pidge radioed.

“You guys have to work together,” Lance radioed, to the team.

“Allura, you have to call the shots, now.” Shiro said, as he drove his cruiser up to fire shots at the Blue and Black lions. 

“Hey!” Coran shot back at Shiro but it wasn’t quite enough to disable to training protocol.

“Coran, when he comes back around, freeze him with your ice canon. Pidge, use your cloaking mechanism to work on Matt.” 

“Roger that,” Coran and Pidge said in unison.

“I’ll be bait for Matt’s cruiser and you sneak up on him,” Hunk radioed to Pidge.

Coran waited until Shiro began to shoot at the Black lion again, and then locked on with his ice canon. “Say goodnight,” Coran shouted and fired his ice canon, knocking the training cruiser hurtling away from the Black lion.

“Nice, Coran!” Allura radioed.

“Thanks, Princess!” He beamed, feeling more confident than he had before.  
“Okay, I’m on his tail,” Hunk was saying, 

“Just keep doing what you’re doing,” Pidge radioed, but she was nowhere to be found with her cloaking mechanism activated. 

“So weird,” Hunk muttered but continued to chase Matt’s cruiser. 

“This isn’t so bad,” Matt said as he drove his cruiser. Lance and Shiro watched on in suspense, wondering how they would handle this training exercise. 

Pidge knocked into Matt’s cruiser from the side and then immediately covered the ship with his vines. He shot two that hit the front of the cruiser, making it so that Matt couldn’t see anymore.

“Time for the big guns,” Lance said, breaking out the castle’s artillery. “Let’s see how you guys handle the castle’s meteor training exercise.” He maneuvered some controls and then there were firey blasts, coming off of the castle, heading toward the paladins.

“Guys, let’s form Voltron!” Allura shouted, “Everyone fly up!” She suggested and they all flew high over Lance’s attacks. 

“It feels like my lion is taking over!” Coran said

“That means it’s working!” Pidge radioed back to him.

The lions pulled themselves together to form Voltron and the team were focused again, ready to take on the training exercise.

“Woo!” Lance, Shiro and Matt celebrated on the flight deck.

“We did it!” Coran shouted, excitedly and the rest of the paladins laughed.

“Sword!” Allura called and Keith activated his bayard. They used it to knock small fireballs out of the way, alternately using the shield for the extra big ones. 

“This is awesome!” Hunk exclaimed

“Glad I’m not the only one who thinks so!” Coran radioed back, sounding like a little kid on christmas.

“Stay focused team!” Allura called over the radio.

“Hey, what’s that…” Lance turned back to the command center, stopping the training exercise immediately, noticing a red blip at the top of his screen. 

“What’s wrong Lance?” Allura asked, “Why did the exercise stop?” 

“We have an incoming, Voltron, I repeat we have a ship on the edge of the perimeter.” He radioed back, checking to see if he could find the stats.

“Galra?” Keith asked.

“Looks like it. It’s definitely not Lotor’s ship,” Lance said. “Yes, it looks like one of Zarkon’s ships. Everyone stay focused. I’m putting up the castle’s shields.”

“What do we do?” Coran asked.

“Stay calm, everyone, we don’t know what this could be about,” Allura rationalized.

“Allura’s right, we’re still in the dark here. We should stay calm, but everyone needs to be ready to fight, too,” Shiro suggested.

“I have the castle defenses at 100% so we’re good here,” Lance added, “Make sure you guys are looking out for each other.”

The command center lit up. Incoming message from Emperor Zarkon. 

“Accept it, Lance,” Shiro said, looking determined. 

Lance thought for a moment and accepted the message. Instead of Zarkon, Haggar appeared. “My precious champion,” She began. “There is a new Altean in your midst. This is very interesting. Lotor has humored you by letting you keep the lions up until now, but it has gone on too long. We offer you the option to surrender now, before we attack,” She threatened.

“You old witch, we’re never going to surrender. We happen to have the forces of good on our side, thank you very much,” Lance shouted. 

Hagger laughed and Shiro rubbed his eyes. “You do not wish to accept our merciful option of surrender?” 

“Never,” Shiro confirmed. “We will continue to fight for what we know is right,” He said. 

Voltron was lurking behind the castle defenses, but took the opportunity to come into the light. “Shoulder canon!” Allura called from the head. 

Hunk activated his canon and the team exerted a brutal attack on Zarkon’s ship. “Yeah!”

Back on the command center, Shiro, Lance and Matt saw the feed of Haggar shake and get staticky with Volton’s hit.

“You will regret this, Paladins,” Haggar warned, and her image disappeared.

“Alright guys, she’s bound to be coming in hot, hit her with everything we have.” Lance instructed over the radio, bringing up the castle’s laser.

Allura called out shots from the black lion, “Ready the sword and the shield. Brace for impact and be ready to fight!” she shouted.

“Ready!” Keith said, bringing up the blade

“All set!” Pidge said, readying the shield.

They flew as one across the space between the two ships, latching onto the Galra ship and slashing at it with the sword. 

“Coran, your ice weapon!” Allura shouted. As Keith made cracks in the Galra ship, Coran shot ice into them, increasing them and making the ship weaker and weaker. 

“Great job, team, keep it up!” Lance called from the flight deck, as the Galra ship began to shoot at the castle. 

“Our defenses can only handle so much of this,” Shiro warned Lance. 

“Guys you gotta take out that canon.” Lance radioed. 

“On it,” Allura called back, bringing Voltron back to the front of the Galra ship. Coran started by icing over the front of the weapon. It subdued the laser beam but only temporarily. The ice was melting even as Coran layered more on top.

“It’s not holding, Princess,” He said, as he continued to add more ice, as the old ice was melted by the beam.

“Hunk, break out our big canons again,” Allura called.

“Okay,” He said, warily “I don’t know that I can blow up the base of this canon though. The Galra tech is pretty strong,” 

“Just gotta damage it, I can shoot vines in that will do the rest,” Pidge radioed in.

“Alright,” Hunk said, firing the canon at the intense weapon.

“Guys look out!” Lance shouted, but it was too late.

“What’s happening?” Allura called,

“We’re getting torn apart,” Coran shouted,

“Gotta stick… together!” Pidge tried to keep control, but it was no use.

Voltron had been hit by a dark lightning bolt of Altean magic. Instantly, Voltron separated, each of the five lions flying off in different directions. 

“No!” Shiro, Lance and Matt all darted around the command center, trying to figure out what to do.

“Guys, can you copy? You gotta get back in the game,” Lance said over the radio. He tried to activate the castle’s lasers again. “We can’t go on the offensive, we’re using too much energy for the shield.” The ice Coran had sprayed over the beam had completely worn off.

“My lion’s not responding!” Pidge shouted

“Me neither,” Keith said, sounding frustrated.

“Keep it together guys, I’ll cover us for now,” Allura said, apparently the only one to continue to have control over her lion.

“Mine’s back up!” Hunk shouted. “We’re coming Lance!” He said, breaking out the canon again to shoot at the Galra ship. 

“Me too, Princess! Heading back over,” Coran radioed in, alternating Hunk’s canon with shots from his ice blaster. 

“Red’s warming up, I should be over in a minute. Pidge, what’s up with green?” Keith asked

“I don’t know, she’s all lit up still but I can’t control her. What’s happening?” Pidge called over the radio sounding scared.

“Why isn’t her lion responding?” Matt asked.

“I don’t know,” Lance said honestly. “Pidge, do you want me to try to bring you in with a tractor beam?” 

“Uh, I don’t know, everyone else’s came back right away. Green? Come on, girl,” Pidge cooed at her lion.

The castle shook. “Woah!” Lance shouted. 

“Look! The castle defenses came down,” Shiro said.

“They need to recharge. Guys we need help here at the castle too. What should we do?” Lance asked, bracing for impact.

“Wait, what’s happening?” Allura asked.

“They stopped attacking,” Hunk muttered, “Why?” 

“Woahh guys!! Help!” Pidge shouted. Her lion was caught in a tractor beam but it wasn’t from the castle. 

“Pidge!” Coran shouted. He tried to freeze the base of the tractor beam, but was knocked out of the way by a Galra cruiser. “Guys, watch out, they’re sending out cruisers,” Coran warned

“We need to get Pidge!” Keith shouted, racing in to take Coran’s place attacking the base of the tractor beam.

But it was no use, soon the Green lion had disappeared inside the Galra ship, and then, there appeared a flicker of light getting bigger and bigger. 

“They’re getting ready to make a jump! They’re going to escape with Pidge!” Coran shouted, and everyone fired their weapons, making one last attempt to stop the ship from leaving.

The Galra took a hit, sustaining a large indent at the front of the massive ship, but then it disappeared into the wormhole, leaving the remaining four paladins of Voltron staring at the empty space it occupied only a moment ago.

Matt collapsed to his knees on the flight deck. “We have to get her back,” He said, looking up at Lance.

Lance knelt next to Matt and touched his shoulder. “We will.”


End file.
